Used Fiat Panda 2012-2024 review

Boxy, stylish city cars have a natural ability to generate a cult following – and the Fiat Panda is a prime example.

The Panda's no-nonsense ethos has struck a chord with enthusiasts and value-minded buyers over many years and it's a common sight in plenty of bustling European cities. In the UK it's not quite such a common sight, but it's a used car you might consider against the Dacia Sandero, Hyundai i10 and Kia Picanto.

If you're looking at the off-road-inspired Panda Cross, or even one of the earlier Panda 4x4s, then you might also be thinking about a Dacia Duster or Suzuki Ignis.

Engines and performance: There’s a choice of three engines, for one: a 68bhp 1.2-litre petrol, a 0.9 Twinair with 84bhp and a 74bhp 1.3-litre diesel. Later, post-facelift, 2020 Cross models came with only a 69bhp 1.0-litre, three-cylinder mild-hybrid engine. Four-wheel drive is available on the 4x4 version and, from its launch in 2015, on the raised-up and toughened up Panda Cross model.

On the road, the 1.2 and 1.0-litre petrols aren't very gutsy, but they're fine around town. If you regularly head beyond the city limits, then you should consider the diesel; it feels stronger and more flexible than the petrol, so is better at keeping up with traffic on faster roads. Twinair versions have a fair bit of mid-range muscle, but are sluggish at very low revs and breathless at high ones. The manual gearshift is clunky and vague on all versions.

As you might expect, refinement isn't great on all models, with plenty of vibrations from the engine. It's also noisy to drive on the motorway, with plenty of wind and road noise, but this isn't unusual for a small car. The i10 is quieter to drive on the motorway, though.

Ride and handling: The i10 also rides a lot more comfortably. It's not that the Panda thumps alarmingly over potholes – it takes most of the sting out of sharp edges pretty well – but it bounces and fidgets around over most surfaces. That makes it rather wearing to drive for any great distance.

While the Panda's light steering is ideal for parking, it’s also vague when you are looking for that sense of connection to help you guide the nose confidently through faster corners. Combine that with significant body lean, and this isn't a car with driver appeal by the bucket load.

If you enjoy zipping about in a small car with rewarding handling, the surprisingly entertaining Picanto demands a test drive.

Interior and practicality: A height-adjustable driver’s seat is standard on all versions, but the steering wheel adjusts only up and down (not in and out), so finding a comfortable driving position isn't always easy – especially if you're tall. The i10 and Picanto have better driving positions.

On the plus side, the high seating position provides a good view out to the front, and the view rearwards is decent thanks to the large rear window. Rear parking sensors are standard if you go for top-spec versions or the Panda Cross, but there's no option of a rear-view camera or brighter LED headlights.

Early and entry-level versions of the Panda make do without a modern touchscreen infotainment system. Instead, they get a more basic set-up with an AM/FM and DAB radio that incorporates Bluetooth connectivity. This set-up feels like a blast from the past and isn’t very user-friendly.

Later and top-spec versions have a proper 7.0in touchscreen, and it's pretty decent by the standard of what you get in many similar-priced alternatives. The operating system is fairly user-friendly and comes with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring.

While no rival comes with particularly plush fixtures and fittings to relish, the i10 does at least look smart, while the Picanto feels screwed together well. The Panda, on the other hand, features a palette of pretty low-rent plastics that have an undesirable flimsiness.

There's a reasonable amount of space for people in the front of the Fiat Panda, with the tall body giving a good amount of head room. Leg room isn’t particularly generous though, meaning that the Hyundai i10 feels roomier, while the Dacia Duster offers way more space.

Rear space is even less generous. Rear leg room is tight, and trying to seat three adult passengers in the back will be a proper old squeeze. Again, the Duster gives you way more space for around the same money.

The Panda’s boot is a practical shape, and you can fold the rear seat backs in a 60/40 split (like most of its rivals) if you want more space. In terms of outright capacity with the rear seats in place, you get 225 litres, which is less than in a Hyundai i10 or Kia Picanto. Again, if you want more luggage space for similar money, check out the Dacia Sandero or the generally larger Duster.

Trims and equipment: There are three key trim levels to choose from: Pop, Easy and Lounge. The entry-level model comes with electric front windows, a height-adjustable steering and hill hold assist, while upgrading to the Easy model adds remote central locking, air conditioning and roof rails. The range-topping Lounge trim gives the Panda 15in alloy wheels, front fog lights, a six-speaker sound system and Fiat's Uconnect infotainment system complete with USB and Bluetooth connectivity.

For those opting for the more rugged Panda 4x4 or the tougher Panda Cross, fear not, these both come with their own trim specification, with the former including 15in alloys, electrically adjustable and heated wing mirrors, and a height-adjustable driver's seat. The latter includes swish silver roof bars, climate control, LED day-running-lights, all-wheel drive and three driving modes, and mud and snow tyres.

On later cars, the trim levels were updated to entry-level Panda, which gets 15in steel wheels, air conditioning and a heated rear window. It's very basic.

Cross trim is better equipped, because it gives you a larger infotainment system and rear parking sensors. Meanwhile, RED and Garmin specs add niceties such as automatic climate control, heated front seats and special styling.

Facelift: A facelift in 2020 resulted in only the Panda Cross version being offered from new in the UK. Two more variants, named the City and Sport, now sit alongside it. Models come equipped with a 1.0-litre, three-cylinder mild-hybrid engine. This harvests kinetic energy during braking and deceleration, which is stored in the battery. This enables the engine to shut down to conserve fuel when coasting or at a standstill, and can also be used to assist acceleration.

"The Panda's interior might feel cheap, but it does have some fun styling features lacking in some of its rivals. The squircle theme for the dials and dashboard buttons are a nice touch." – George Hill, Used Cars Writer

If you're interested in finding a used Panda, or any of the other small cars mentioned here, head over to the Used Car Buying pages to find lots of cars listed for sale at a great price.

You might find a Panda for around £1500, but that will be a high mileage example or a car with previous damage. We'd advise spending more to secure one with an average mileage for the year and a full service history.

If you think in the region of £3000, you'll buy a 2015 or 2016 model, while upping the dosh to between £4000 and £5000 gets you a low mileage example of a similar age. A budget of £5000 to £8000 typically buys a 2017 to 2020 car, while anything above that should secure you a 2020 to 2022 model. Last-of-the-line 2023 and 2024 cars cost upwards of £10,000.

MPG

On paper, the most economical Panda is the 0.9-litre Twinair two-cylinder petrol engine, with an average claimed fuel consumption of 67.3mpg under the older NEDC tests, in some trims. In real-world motoring, you’ll struggle to achieve anything like that, because the engine needs to be pushed quite hard to keep up with traffic. However, it has a character and charm that's all its own.

The regular 1.2-litre petrol returns a claimed average 55.4mpg under the NEDC tests, making it the default choice for most people. The 1.3-litre Multijet diesel unit claims 64.2mpg in certain versions, although we feel the lumpy nature of this engine rather goes against the suave nature the Panda displays in all other areas.

The later mild-hybrid Panda Cross claims a WLTP figure of 58.9mpg officially, although given the verve with which you sometimes have to drive it to keep pace it's unlikely to come anywhere near this in real-world motoring.

Road tax

Cars registered before 1 April 2017 are charged annual car tax (VED) according to their CO2 emissions. Cars registered after 1 April 2017 are subject to a flat rate fee of £195 per year for all versions. To find out more about the current road tax costs, click here for further information.

Insurance

Insurance groups are suitably low, ranging from 3 to 10 in the top-spec, raised-up, pseudo-SUV Cross versions. That's similar to its closest rivals.

Servicing

Servicing is cheap, either at a Fiat dealer or at an independent firm. Parts for Pandas are plentiful.

Warranty

Like all Fiats, the Panda comes with a two-year manufacturer warranty from new and a further one-year dealer warranty.

Safety

The most worrying thing about the Panda is its woeful Euro NCAP safety rating from 2018. Automatic emergency braking (AEB) wasn't even available as an option, and when it was crash-tested the results were damning. Adults in the front are at risk of chest and leg injuries, while those sitting in the back fared even worse, with a high risk of chest and neck injuries.

Children in the rear are so vulnerable that NCAP gave the Panda no points for the child occupancy crash test – no other car has set a lower bar. Indeed, the Panda's results were so bad that its overall score was zero out of five. No, that's not a typo: zero out of five. It didn’t fare much better when tested by security experts Thatcham. The organisation awarded the Panda just two out of five for its resistance to theft, and one for guarding against being broken into.

Reliability

The Fiat Panda received mixed feedback for reliability in our latest What Car? Reliability Survey, based on real-world owner reviews.

Many reported recurring minor faults, such as warning lights, sensor glitches and infotainment issues. One owner highlighted a stubborn engine warning light that dealers couldn’t fully fix. While problems were rarely serious, they were often frustrating and led to frequent garage visits.

Dealer support varied, with some praising their local teams, but others highlighting long waits and high costs. Older Pandas seemed especially prone to problems.

Find out more about Fiat Panda reliability on our dedicated reliability page.

Engine

The 1.2-litre four-cylinder petrol is one of the Panda’s better engines. It’s not particularly powerful but it copes just fine in town and feels comparatively willing. The 1.0-litre mild hybrid three-cylinder petrol is a good option, too.

Specification

You don’t get much kit in the entry-level Pop trim. It comes with steel wheels, a trip computer, electric front windows, a basic stereo, central locking and a height-adjustable driver’s seat and steering column. Easy is the trim level we’d aim for. It adds air-con, which is a major plus, as well as remote central locking, an upgraded stereo and roof rails.

Our favourite Fiat Panda: 1.2 Easy

The Hyundai i10 is refined and its interior is surprisingly roomy. The 1.2 engine is gutsy enough for motorway use, it’s economical and it can easily deal with rutted road surfaces and roundabouts. In top-spec trim, it’s well equipped, too, with sat-nav, DAB and Apple CarPlay, as well as a 7.0in touchscreen. It’s one of our favourite city cars.

The Kia Picanto is closely-related to the i10, so they have similar attributes. The major benefit with going for the Kia is that it has a longer seven-year, 100,000-mile warranty from new, compared with the five-year, unlimited-mileage cover for the Hyundai.

The Volkswagen Up is also one of our favourites. It’s economical, handles well, is comfortable to be in and is smarter inside than most cars in this class. In addition, it’s worth checking out its siblings, the Seat Mii and Skoda Citigo – both characterful cars that are good value on the used car market.

If you're interested in finding a used Panda, or any of the other small cars mentioned here, head over to the Used Car Buying pages to find lots of cars listed for sale at a great price.

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